December 2009 Update
For the past 6 weeks I have been on two chemo-therapies. Chemo R1507 IV therapy every two weeks for about an hour a session & Nexvar oral chemo everyday.
On December 22 I got my results from my CT Scan. Read more
Update June 2009
It has been a long time since I have given everyone an update with my treatment. I should say, my continuing good updates of recovery from cancer.
I haven’t given an update is so long because I have been having an amazing time spending with friends and family. I have also developed a new website called .com. Please go there to the website and join! Of course, I will be posting more about it later.
It’s brand new and I finally got done with the theme for the website, but it is always subject to change. I really hope you enjoy the website and join. Seriously.
By the way, how do you like the new theme for Schmult.com?
As for the treatment update. I have been battling Carle hospital about having my MRI results in a DICOM format so I could have IU double check the measurements of the tumors on a CD. Finally, I got that figured out.
I still need to send the CD’s over to IU so they can double check it. However, I will give you the results of what I have so far:
2 out of the 3 big tumors are sustained or not growing. The tumor that is in my pelvis area is shaped like a dumbbell and is hard to measure. . The results of that tumor are that is has grown 1 cm in the last few months. Which is nothing!!
Overall, it is a very good report. Thanks to God, Jesus, friends and family.
Keep up the prayers and I will continue entertaining you with a miracle, .com, & Schmult.com.
MRI results
MRI Results: Well, just last week I finished up another round of chemo. The Dr.’s focus on the 3 big tumors when monitoring the shrinkage. Well, 2 of the 3 big tumors are still slowly, little by little are shrinking!!
Scarcoma caners takes a long time for the cancer cell to react and retract (shrink). Remember when I had a month off of chemo and the tumors still shrunk? Well, same thing goes with this, just takes some time.
The Dr.’s in Louisville thought it would be a good time to consult with some other Dr.’s that specialize in my specific cancer & surgeons. Dr. Rushing in Indy agrees. Depending on the specialist and surgeons opinions and schedules we will figure out if it is time to have the surgery again or not.
If the surgeon believes that we should not do the surgery, then I will work with Dr. Rushing to figure out another new clinical trial chemo to continue the shrinkage of the tumors until they are resectable.
It has almost been a year of chemo and surgery’s. Good thing I’m a distance guy and I can handle it all and WILL continue to handle it. However, I couldn’t/can’t do it without your thoughts and prayers. I thank you very much for everything you have done for me this year and will continue do for me!
Going back to Louisville
What I do in Louisville from nickschmidt on Vimeo.
HD iPod
I bet you have wondered what it is like getting chemotherapy and sitting in a hospital for 24 hrs. Check out the video, it gives you a good idea what it’s like.
Well after 4 weeks of my 1st chemotherapy of the clinical trial, I’m heading back to Louisville for round #2.
This time I’m leaving my Dad behind and Amanda is coming with me. Yeah!!! Those of you who don’t know Amanda Bos. She is my friend from college and we swam together on the swim team with her husband, Matt Bos. Amanda also was the catalyst of all the F.S.R. presents that I got weekly.. Thanks to everyone for the presents!!
So I’m leaving today (8/26) and I should return Thursday. Then I have a huge weekend planned to attend Luchetti’s bachelor party. It’s going to be a 3 day bachelor party in Chicago & Michigan. It should be a good time to see E, Chevy, Noonan, & Kerch.
Big ups to Kerch for winning the National Championship in the open water swim in Madison last weekend. It looks like I have to get out of retirement and show him how it is done.
Much Love
Louisville & metaport
Here is the new update with me. I’m not going to Ann Arbor, their clinical trial has ended. So, I’m going to Louisville for their clinical trial. Again the chemo is supposed to shrink the tumors down more, so I can have the surgery again to remove the tumors. I start next Tuesday (29th). The chemo will be administered for 24hrs straight, and then I can leave. Obviously I will be in the hospital overnight. Good thing Louisville is a lot closer than Ann Arbor, and they have private rooms! I should have the drug every 3 weeks, but I don’t know all the details until I get down there.
In preparation of the chemo, I had to go under some surgery today (7/24) to install a metaport under my skin. Metaports substitute (or subsitrate-those of you who know the joke) getting stuck with IV’s. Plus it is a lot safer than IV’s leaking and making your veins hard from the chemo. I was awake and talking to the Dr.’s and nurses throughout the entire process. The procedure only took about 30mins, but I had to wait for 4.5 hrs before hand. That was how far behind they were at Carle. No it didn’t hurt, they sedated me a little, and numbed the area. It was really nothing, I talked to the Dr. & nurses the whole time. Yes, I’m sore and will be fore a couple of days. I will post pictures when I can remove the gauss pads (Probably next week).
And yes, I will make it to the EIU festivities for Ray’s retirement/EIU swim team reunion. If I don’t feel good, then I won’t come. The side effects are just the same as any other chemo. However, I will not lose my hair. But nausea, blood counts, & fatigue are normal side effects. My prescription drugs have been awesome with nausea, so I’m not really worried about anything.
So.. it’s just GAME TIME!! And I’m ready.. So bring it!
p.s. Today, I was a little hesitant in posting about my chemo and cancer stuff. I was questioning myself on what if people see this and judge me on being “not eligible” to work on future projects, get a new job, be active, to date people, or anything really.
After thinking it through I came up with a few things; 1. I already have posted about all the stuff I have been going through. So it would be a pain to delete it all. 2. Maybe this will help educate & help people going through the same thing. 3. If a company or person(s) is going to judge me on this, then they are probably people I don’t want to affiliate myself with them. That is just too bad for them. 4. Plus people come to my website to get these updates
I was thinking about this when I saw Slyvester, running around and chasing his brother (Tigger) and being a normal cat. He doesn’t really know he has cancer, he is still living his life, so why shouldn’t we? Just because we are a little more knowledgeable about this disease doesn’t mean we should stop our life completely. Even though sometimes it feels that way. You just have to keep moving.
Flickr Pictures
